Tool and handle fastener.



W. J. HIGGS.

TOOL AND HANDLE FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED mums. 1914.

1,1 64,092. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Attorneys WALLACE J'. HIGGS, OF LEI-II, UTAH.

TOOL AND HANDLE FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14,1915.

Application filed June 29, 1914. Serial No. 848,075.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALLACE J. Hroos, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lehi, in thecounty of Utah and State 10f Utah, have invented a new and useful Tool and Handle Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to tool and handle fasteners and is particularly an improvement over the handle fastenerdisclosed in my Patent No. 1,033,171, issued July 23, 1912.

The present invention contemplatesthe provision of novel and improved means for attaching a pick head or other tool to the end of a handle or helve.

Another object ofthe invention. is to pro vide a fastening means of the character indicated, which will effectively hold the pick head or other tool upon the end of the handle, and which will relieve the handle of the breaking strain, when the handle is lifted or swung in the use of the pick or other implement.

It is also within the scope of the present invention to provide a fastening or attaching device which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive 'in construction as well as being convenient, practical and efficient. in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the inventionresides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the detailsof construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe plecise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the inven tion.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of a pick embodying the present invention, portions being broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the implement, portions being broken away. Fig. 3 is an end View of the implement looking toward the head, portions being broken away.

In the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the ordinary wooden handle or helve of a pick or other equivalent implement and the numeral 2 designates the pick head or other tool which is attached to the end of the handle 1 through the medium of the improved fastening device.

In carrying out the present invention, the handle 1 is provided with a longitudinal bore 3 therethrough, and a sleeve or coupling member 4 of metal or any other suitable material, is disposed between the pick head or tool 2 and the corresponding end of the handle 1 to constitute the medium for connecting or coupling together, the pick head or tool and handle 1. The member 4 p is preferably of elliptical cross section to conform to the eye portion of the pick head 2, and the sleeve 4 is provided with the bore or passage 5 therethrough. The inner end portion of the bore 5 is tapered as at 6, and receives the tapered end 7 of the handle 1, whereby the sleeve 4 will be firmly mounted upon the outer end of the handle. The

tapered portion 6 of the bore 5 and the vided with a "shallow inner elliptical socket or recess 9 receiving the boss or flange 8. The corners formed by the boss or flange 8 and the socket or recess 9 are preferably rounded, to enable the sleeve 4 to have a slight swinging movement with respect to the pick head or tool 2 under certain conditions, as will hereinafter appear.

In order to clamp the handle, pick head or tool 2, and the sleeve 4 together, the handle or body portion of the head or tool 2 is provided with an aperturelO concentric with the socket or recess 9, and having its outer end portion counter sunk, as at 11. A draft rod 12 is passed through the aperture 10 of the head 2, through the sleeve 4 and through the bore 3 of the handle, and the outer end of the rod 12 is provided with a counter sunk head 13 fitting snugly within the counter sunk portion 11. The counter sunk portion 11 and head 13 are preferably of elliptical contour to prevent the rotation of the draft rod 12 when the draft rod is in normal position. The head 13 will normally lie flush with the back or outer portion of the head or tool 2, as

is desirable. The bore of the sleeve 4 is of threaded bore 16 of the nut 14 which is threadedly engaged upon the inner threaded end of the rod 12 terminates at its inner or rear end within the bore 15. The forward or outer end of the nut 14 is provided with a boss 17 Which is rotatably received by a ferrule 18 secured upon the inner end of the handle 1.

The implement may be readily assembled, by first placing the sleeve 4 upon the end of the handle 1, then placing the pick heador tool 2- upon the end of the sleeve, andinserting the rod 12 through the parts 2, 4 and 1, and then engaging the nut 14 to the said rod. hen the nut 14 is tightened, a tensile strain will be created upon the rod, 12, and as a consequence the head 2, sleeve 4 and handle 1 will be clamped tightly together, to maintain them in normal operative condition.

An important or salient feature of the present invention resides in the fact that when the handle 1 is lifted or swung, so as to tend to bend or flex the handle, the sleeve 4 which u is engaged firmly upon the end of the handle, will swing within the socket or recess 9 of the pick head or tool 2, which will increase the draft or tensile strain upon the rod 12, and which will reduce to a minimum,

the breaking strain upon the handle. Thus,

when the pick 15 engaged to an unyielding object, and when the handle is swung to swing the pick head, the handle may yield relative to the pick head, to avoid a breakage of the handle, as not infrequently occurs with theuse of a pick or similar implement wherein the handle is secured rigidly to the pick head or tool.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is z- A pick embodying a elliptical cross section fitted rigidly upon one end of the handle, a pick head having a relatively shallow inner elliptical socket,

handle, a sleeve of the outer end of the sleevehaving a relatively short elliptical boss fitting snugly within said socket, said boss being of less cross sectional area than said sleeve and forming a shoulder bearing against said head around said socket, the corners of the boss being rounded whereby the sleeve can swing relative to the head upon one point of said shoulder as a fulcrum, a draft rod en- 

